Today I finished Scott Nicholson's supernatural thriller titled Drummer Boy. Scott had contacted me and asked if I would review his books on my blog. As you may recall, Scott is a freelance writer of paranormal, supernatural thrillers and horror stories and books. He is also been ranked #1 on Amazon's Kindle for ghost and horror stories. Drummer Boy is the third book I've read and reviewed.

Description (from Scott's website):On a Blue Ridge Mountain peak, three boys hear the rattling of a snare drum deep inside a cave known as "The Jangling Hole," and the wind carries

a whispered name.

An old man at the foot of the mountain believes something inside the Hole has been disturbed by a developer's bulldozers. A local reporter is determined to solve the supernatural mysteries that have been shared for generations. Sheriff Frank Littlefield, haunted by past failures, must stand against a public enemy that has no fear of bullets, bars, or justice.

On the eve of a Civil War re-enactment, the town of Titusville prepares for a staged battle, but the weekend warriors aren't aware they will soon be fighting an elusive army. A troop of Civil War deserters, trapped in the Hole by a long-ago avalanche, is rising from a dark slumber, and the war is far from over. And one misfit kid is all that stands between a town and the cold mouth of hell...

Review: I had a difficult time reading this novella. I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters and the plot was just okay. Drummer Boy starts off with a similar feel to "The Body" by Stephen King, where three friends encounter a boy when they are goofing off in the woods. Instead of a body, these kids come across "The Cave", which is known to have haunts by their community. While the friendships and the bonds between these boys ring true, I hard a hard time liking them. They come off as cookie cutter stereotypes-a misfit who is poor but refuses to acknowledge his poverty in public, a closeted gay character who is too nice, and a jock whose loyalty is never really reliable. The adults in the story weren't enjoyable as well, the males irritated and disgusted me with their crude humor and the desire to "nail" anything that walks.
The concept of the novella was intriguing. Nicholson blends the Civil War reenactment along with urban legends effectively. The appearances of ghost soldiers were definitely creepy and kept me reading. The suspense slowly picks up as the events lead up to a dangerous ending. Drummer Boy is just an okay read that is easily forgotten.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language throughout the novel. There are also lots of crude humor and sexual suggestions in the book, including frank discussion of masturbation. Recommended to adults only.

If you like this book try: The Body by Stephen King or The Farm by Scott Nicholson

Thanks for the honest review Rummanah, I have a lot of trouble with the books where I just can't relate to the characters. No matter if there's a good story or not, the characters always make or break a read for me:)

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I am a librarian at Maine East High School. The opinions and content of this blog are my own and are not that of my employer.
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